Masterpiece
by LadyNightRunner
Summary: Zack plus ArtShow equals Suspicion. Sephiroth knows there's a girl involved somewhere, but he doesn't know how she'll end up changing his world.


So...here's a oneshot piece, and I know it's no substitute for the ones I'm supposed to be doing, but 'stina dear had a birthday, and this was what I gave her. Obviously, 'stina and Miguel are themselves. Enjoy!

* * *

She was certainly unexpected. Of course, most of the people and things that came to him via Zack were, but she was even more so than normal. Maybe it was because she was of Wutai blood and therefore had no reason to give him the time of day. Maybe it was because she was so multi-faceted. Possibly because she had no rhyme or reason…she had something else, done in ink.

Day One:

"Hey, Seph. Wanna go to an art show tonight?"

"A _what_?"

"An art show."

"Why?"

"There's this art show over at a gallery called Horizons that I want to go to. Come with me?" Zack made puppy eyes. Sephiroth watched, suspicious.

"What time?"

"7 o'clock."

"Where?"

"Horizons."

Sephiroth sighed.

"Which is _where_, Zack?"

"South side of town. I'll come get you at 6:30, okay?"

"I suppose."

At exactly 6:30, Zack appeared outside Sephiroth's apartment. Sephiroth let him in while he got his boots on.

"There's a girl involved in this, isn't there?" he asked.

"What makes you say that?"

"You're on time and eager to leave, Zack. That _always_ means a woman, and, if that wasn't incriminating enough, since when did you start going to _art shows_?"

"You'll like her when you meet her," Zack promised.

"I knew it."

Horizons was an airy, well-lit building between a small bookstore and a café. At 6:51, when they arrived, a handful of people were milling around inside, most focusing on the table with drinks and munchies. Zack led Sephiroth past them, towards someone standing near the wall, watching the proceedings. She looked up and smiled at them. It wasn't an ear-to-ear grin, as Sephiroth had come to expect from the girls Zack knew, but a small smiled, pleased and faintly amused.

"Told you I'd come," Zack said proudly. "_And_ I brought a friend."

"I see that."

"Oh-right. I should introduce you two."

"That would help," Sephiroth murmured.

"Okay. Kristina, this is Sephiroth. Seph, this is Kristina, artist extraordinaire."

"Out of reflex, Sephiroth offered his hand. Kristina shook it. Sephiroth was immediately aware of how small her hands were in his.

"It's nice to meet you."

She wasn't what he'd been expecting. Zack liked brunettes and blondes, but the kind of brunette that you knew was brunette at first sight. Kristina's hair was of the shade of brown that appeared black in many lights, and it was long, hanging down to the back pockets of the jeans she was wearing. There was, of course, the issue of nationality. She was undeniably Wutainese, with deep brown eyes and naturally tan skin to prove it.

Zack's girls were often of the perky type, the ones who dressed with the current fashion and heaven _forbid_ they have real personalities. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Kristina was wearing a halter-top styled to look like a black and white pinstriped button up over a white tank top and black jeans with a chain belt. Not at _all _what he'd been expecting.

"Likewise."

Zack pulled him over to the food at that point.

"So…whatcha think?"

"Not your type, but very nice."

"I never said she was my type. I came 'cuz I wanted to see her stuff."

"Which ones?"

"About half of them. She's doing a joint showing with Miguel, that guy over there." Zack gestured vaguely at someone at the other end of the room. "C'mon, I'll show you some of her stuff."

While they were strolling along the perimeter of the room, it occurred to Sephiroth that he had a question that he had forgotten to ask.

"How did you meet her?"

"He ran me over in the park."

Sephiroth and Zack jumped. Behind them, Kristina smiled.

"Ran you over?" Sephiroth repeated. "How did he do that?"

"I wasn't paying attention to where I was going when I was running…you know that path that goes way into the back of the park, where it's all thick and hardly anyone goes? I was back there and didn't think to look where I was going and she was right there, and I ran right into her," Zack explained, sounding a little guilty.

"And you survived?" Sephiroth asked.

Kristina laughed.

"I did."

Day Two:

A knock on the door startled Sephiroth out of a paperwork-induced daze.

"Come in!" he called, not looking up.

The door opened, and he was surprised to hear quiet footfalls instead of the booted thumps that usually accompanied the entrance of any of the men he worked with. He looked up, and found himself face-to-face with Kristina.

"Hi."

"Hello," he answered. "How did you get in?"

"Zack left his jacket and ID at the gallery last night. I thought I should bring them over." Kristina waved the plastic card in her hand, looking smug.

"This isn't his office."

"He's not there. Some guy told me that I might find him in here, but I see that's not the case. Will you take them?"

"Of course."

Kristina placed both misplaced items on Sephiroth's desk and smiled.

"It was nice to see you again."

She was gone before he could respond.

Day Four:

Sephiroth found himself back at Horizons after work, taking more time to appraise Kristina's art. He hadn't had enough time at the opening, what with Zack dragging him around to see everything at once. He was impressed, now that he had a chance to really _look_ at the pieces.

"What brings you here?"

Again, he jerked in surprise at the unexpected voice. As before, Kristina smiled.

"Why do you do that?"

"Because I can, and because you keep reacting. Quit flinching and I'll stop."

Sephiroth nodded faintly and moved down the wall, to the next piece.

"So what brought you here?"

"Hmm? I just wanted to get a better look. Zack wasn't giving me much time."

"That I understand. He's very…enthusiastic, isn't he?"

"That's not the word I'd have used, but yes."

They both laughed.

Day Five:

Another trip to Horizons to decide whether or not he could get away with hanging one of Kristina's pieces in his office ended next door at the café, chatting with Kristina over green tea. This was interesting in and of itself, because he had never been one for small talk or green tea, and here he was, enjoying both.

Day Fifteen: It became a habit: Tea at the café every other day after he got off work. He began to develop a taste for the tea and a fondness for the conversations he had with Kristina. Even more so, he began to look forward to the time he spent with her.

Day Seventeen: After nearly an hour of internal debate, Sephiroth suggested that they go out to dinner instead of to the café. Kristina accepted. Relived (and having no clue why), he took her to Fanadyta, a favorite of his. It was fun, and he didn't regret asking.

Kristina let him take her home.

Day Eighteen: Sephiroth discovered that neither he nor Zack knew how to hang a picture. After some failed attempts and Sephiroth considering suicide by hammer, Zack called Kristina. Sephiroth hadn't known that Zack had her number, and made a mental note to steal it at the next opportunity.

Kristina arrived within twenty minutes and gave them both a lesson in home/office decorating. She stayed for lunch. Zack was politely removed from the room for the duration of the meal.

Day Twenty-two:

"It's her birthday in two days," Zack commented.

Sephiroth choked on his coffee. Zack waited patiently for him to regain some composure and grinned.

"In _two days_? Why didn't one of you _tell_ me?"

"She doesn't like people making a big deal about it," Zack said, acting as if it was the simplest concept to grasp. "And I didn't think to tell you until just now."

"_Zack_, I've got a day to figure out what to do for her! You could've given me a _little_ more notice!"

"I didn't realize that it was such a big deal. Half the time you forget your own birthday, and you only remember mine because I write it on you calendar every year."

"You aren't-" Sephiroth cut himself off and stared into his coffee mug.

"Seph? Hey, Seph, what's up? I'm not what?"

"Nothing. Never mind. Do you know how old she'll be?"

Zack shook his head.

"She didn't say and I didn't ask."

"Alright. Thanks."

Day Twenty-three: Sephiroth wasn't at work.

Day Twenty-four, at an ungodly hour of the morning:

"What's this about?" Kristina asked, zipping up the bag Zack had insisted she pack.

"I'm just doing what Seph asked me to do."

"Oh, Zack, you didn't tell him about my birthday, did you?"

"Er…yeah…I did."

Kristina groaned.

"I should've told you not to," she grumbled. "I hate it when people make a big deal about it."

"That you did tell me, and I told him that as well. When he left work the same day, he was muttering something about 'low profile'. I think that, whatever he planned, it's not gonna be too bad."

Zack led Kristina outside and to his Jeep.

"I've got to blindfold you, okay? Seph's rules." He waved a bandanna.

"I'm going to get you for this," Kristina promised, sitting down and allowing Zack to tie the bandanna over her eyes. "Drive careful, okay?"

"Your wish is my command."

Hours later, Zack stopped the truck and climbed out, then ambled around the passenger side and opened the door. Kristina slumped against the seat-belt, sound asleep. Grinning, Zack unbuckled her and scooped her up into his arms. It was the work of a moment to get her bag from the back of the Jeep.

"What did you do, knock her out?" Sephiroth hissed when Zack walked in, Kristina limp in his arms.

"She fell asleep. What did you expecting, after having me get her up so early?"

"Put her on the couch."

"Mind if I ask what you're gonna _do_ to her up here?"

"Celebrate her birthday."

"I could take that in _so_ many wrong ways."

"Just go away."

When Kristina woke up, it was to an unfamiliar living room, on a plush couch. The window above her was open, and she could hear running water form outside. Very disoriented, she got up and peered outside; from her vantage point, she could see downhill to a flat parking space with a lone truck sitting in it. Beyond that, more hills. She was in the mountains.

It had to be Zack and Sephiroth's doing.

By the time dusk rolled around, Kristina was wondering just what was going on. Every time she turned around (or so it seemed) there was something waiting for her, usually a note. The first one had been on the kitchen counter, accompanied by a vase of flowers.

Happy Birthday, Kristina.

Wishing you a peaceful day far away from the chaos and insanity that you've been telling me about. Have fun!

Sephiroth

Those that followed had been greetings and well wishes, several form Zack but most from Sephiroth.

A little exploring had revealed that she was in a cabin, one with a loft, which was where the bed and her bag had wound up. The back porch looked out over a deep ravine, at the bottom of which ran the creek she had heard from the couch. She didn't bother going beyond the porch, but found a place to sit and doodle in her sketchbook, which Zack had insisted she pack.

That evening, she found dinner just as she had found lunch; mysteriously waiting for her on the kitchen counter. When she had eaten, she curled on the couch and wondered if Sephiroth was ever going to show his face.

"Happy Birthday."

In spite of her thought, Sephiroth's appearance in the doorway made her squeak and jump.

"Did I startle you?"

It was more of a statement than a question, but she nodded anyway. Sephiroth smiled and came to sit beside her, setting the miniature cake he was carrying on the coffee table.

"I should be mad at you," she informed him, crossing her arms. Sephiroth raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? What for?"

"Kidnapping me."

"That was Zack."

"Under _your_ orders."

"Guilty as charged. Now, are you going to accept that I am celebrating your birthday, or am I going to have to sing Happy Birthday?"

"I accept," she said quickly.

"Wonderful. Happy Birthday, again. Make a wish?"

Kristina nodded and blew out the candles.

"See? Not so hard, is it?"

"This coming from the man who has a habit of _forgetting_ his birthday."

"Touché. What did you wish for?"

Kristina smiled.

"Can't tell you."

Her logic was sound, so Sephiroth gave up on finding out while they shared the cake.

Day Twenty-five:

Kristina woke up to breakfast being made downstairs, and she wondered where Sephiroth was staying; there was only one bedroom in the cabin. Making a mental note to ask later, she headed downstairs to eat.

Later, enroute back home, she discovered that Sephiroth had camped out in the back of the truck.

Sephiroth escorted her to her door, insisting on carrying her bag.

"You'll have to tell me when you get your wish," he murmured, watching Kristina unlock the door.

She paused when the door opened, the turned back to face him.

"I will, will I?"

"Yes."

"Alright." She reached up and grabbed him shoulders, pulling him down to almost eye-level, then kissed him. He froze momentarily, not expecting it, then kissed back. Abruptly, Kristina pulled away, grinning impishly.

"Got my wish," she told him, then danced inside and closed the door.

Day Fourty-six:

Sephiroth formally asked Kristina out. She laughed and asked what the difference was. His response was to explain that now he had an excuse to lavish attention on her. Zack gagged.

Day Seventy-eight:

A very bad day ended very well when Kristina snuck past the front desk and brought him cookies at four o'clock.

Day Ninety:

Sephiroth met Kristina's friends. Joelle approved at once. Miranda was a little skeptical, but agreed in the end. Again, Sephiroth had no idea why he felt so relived that they weren't against him.

Day One hundred and Nine:

Official News Report- The only thing that makes having a cold bearable is being teased by Kristina who, in spite of her lack of sympathy for him, is a pretty good nurse and exponentially more attractive than Zack, who used to be Sephiroth's nurse before Kristina arrived.

Day One hundred and Thirty-seven:

After some serious coaxing, Sephiroth agreed to go dancing with Kristina and some of her friends. It turned out to be one of the best evenings he'd spent with company. (He still preferred having Kristina all to himself.)

Day Two hundred:

It was his turn for a birthday surprise. Instead of spiriting him away to a mountain retreat for a day, Kristina snuck into his apartment (he was sure Zack had something to do with it, the traitor) and left the first of a series of clues to get to his birthday gift. She also tidied up as she looked for a place to hide the note, so Sephiroth spent several minutes searching for his favorite boots because she'd put them in the hall closet instead of the bedroom closet.

Happy Birthday, Sephiroth!

Follow the following instructions to get your gift:

Where did we first meet?

It took two hours and a whole lot of circling around town with the subsequent clues before he found the last one.

Now…where should you really be right now?

The answer was a simple one, of course; he should be at home right now, lying on the couch with a pillow over his face and trying to nap before Zack dragged him out for some birthday drinking.

The apartment door was covered in caution tape when he arrived. He winced. Reno. No one else would've had that much caution tape on hand. He unlocked the door (after locating the knob and lock), and headed in.

Zack tackled him before he'd gotten past the hall closet.

"Happy Birthday!" he crowed.

"Get off."

Zack didn't, so Sephiroth was forced to shove him off and scrambled out of reach before Zack could drag him back down.

"Play nicely," Kristina teased. She was standing well out of reach by the couch. "I need him in one piece."

"Was the entire purpose of that note trail to keep me away from home for two hours?" Sephiroth asked.

Kristina nodded.

"Of course it was. I knew you weren't going to let me come in here with Zack and just have at, so we had to get rid of you first."

"And you brought Reno along with you. Wonderful."

"I had Zack hang him out your kitchen window. He was necessary for getting in here; Zack lost his key."

"He didn't lose it. I took it away, because he tends to do things like _this_." Sephiroth gestured to include most of the apartment and the still-open door.

"Nah, you like it," Zack laughed. He sidled past Sephiroth and headed for the kitchen. "I'll just stay in here until you calm down."

"You do that."

Kristina grinned and stood on tiptoe to kiss him.

"Be nice. He's helping me, and we both wanted to celebrate."

"I'm only being nice because you're here."

"I feel special," Kristina laughed.

"You should."

Day Four hundred and Eleven:

"You're _kidding_."

"I do not kid."

"That long _already_?"

"Why do you sound so surprised?"

"You only asked her out in…what, early November?"

"Early November of _last year_."

"I swear it hasn't been that long!" Zack dove for the calendar and examined it. "There is no way that it has been…wow…you're right."

"I am always right."

Zack snorted.

"Bullshit. You weren't right when-" Sephiroth threw a glove at him. "What?"

"I don't need reminders of my past screw-ups when I'm about to take Kristina out to celebrate. I'll wind up stressed and quite possibly paranoid."

"You're a freak," Zack grumbled. "But have fun. Where are you taking her?"

"I am _not_ telling you. If I do, you'll give me a full report on the place, what you think of it, the good things, the bad things, what to do or not do while there, and anything else you can _possibly_ think of. I don't need _that_ any more than I need reminders of what I've done wrong."

"Oh. Right."

"Thank you. Now…how do I look?"

Zack gave Sephiroth an appraising look.

"Hot." Sephiroth glared at him. "Seriously. I'd totally-"

"Don't. Even. Think. About. It."

"You look great."

Much later…

"I love you."


End file.
